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CPI favours Mamata, CPM calls it gimmickry

Saibal Gupta, Kolkata: Nov 19, 2012, DHNS

The Left Front is divided over its support to the no-confidence motion proposed to be moved in Parliament by the Trinamool Congress, which recently quit the United Progressive Alliance Government in protest against allowing Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail.

While CPM leader and Left Front Chairman Biman Bose called the motion “gimmickry” as the TMC would require the support of at least MPs for the motion to be admitted, CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta said his party would vote in favour of the motion if the TMC managed the numbers.

“The Trinamool has announced that it will bring a no-confidence motion against the government on the FDI issue. If it manages to ensure the support of 50 MPs that is essential to get the motion admitted, then we will not take the responsibility of saving this government,” Dasgupta told reporters in Kolkata.

“If the motion is admitted, neither shall we walk out of Parliament nor abstain from voting. The Centre is responsible for many injustices and crimes against people and it deserves punishment.

Whether it is now or one and a half years later, people will surely pull them down,” Dasgupta added.

Bose, however, said: “Everybody is telling that the TMC is bringing a no-confidence motion. This is not correct. They have only expressed the desire. Unless you have 50 MPs you cannot bring a no-confidence motion. It is impossible to do with 19 MPs of (TMC)”.

“In politics there is no place for gimmicks. We have been fighting against FDI in retail for a long time. Our party MP Basudeb Acharya has already intimated the Lok Sabha Speaker for a debate on FDI under rule 184. Our MP Sitaram Yechury has demanded a similar debate in the Rajya Sabha. We are politically honest,” Bose added.

The Congress, however, slammed Banerjee for her irresponsible move. State Congress President Pradip Bhattacharyay told reporters: “She should understand that 19 members can't move a no-confidence motion. She claims that the Trinamool is secular but now for the sake of her own interests she is ready to take the help of BJP. We will hold a state-wide protest on November 22 coinciding with Trinamool’s proposed move,” Bhattacharyay said.